David and Danielle
by iloveromance
Summary: David Crane reluctantly leaves the girl he loves for a once in a lifetime career opportunity. But when he is gone, Danielle finds that his absence hurts more than she could have ever imagined. However, she finds solace in the warmth of the people who love him most. Written with Pat2Trivia4Me.
1. Chapter 1

_**Patrick's Note: So delighted to be working on this with the wonderfully talented Andrea. Many, many thanks to her for suggesting this project. This is part 3 of a story I started called 'The Edge of the Rain and can be found on my Fan Fiction page by title or my pen name Pat2Trivia4Me.**_

 _ **Andrea's Note: As soon as I finished reading Pat's "The Edge of the Rain" this idea came to me and likewise I'm glad that we decided to write this story together. I love creating and expanding on characters from beloved TV shows; 'Frasier' in particular.**_

* * *

Standing in the living room, she reached into the laundry basket and grabbed a pair of Niles' knickers. Unexpectedly, a memory washed over her as she folded the light blue knickers into a neat square, brushing it lightly against her face. She'd been using the same washing technique for years; fabric softener and twice through the fluff cycle. And it still worked its magic.

And then another memory hit her…

" _Daphne, I'd like you to meet my brother, Niles."_

 _Wearing a grey suit, the handsome man with blue eyes and blonde hair looked at her as though he'd seen a ghost. "You're Daphne?"  
_

 _She smiled and continued folding the laundry, amused at his comment. For she was the only other person in the room. "Why, yes I am!"  
_

 _In a daze, he'd walked toward her and extended his hand. She shook it gently, but he held onto her hand; wearing a dreamy look in his eyes. "When Frasier told me he'd hired an Englishwoman, I pictured someone a little more…. not quite so…. You're Daphne?"  
_

 _She smiled, and her heart warmed just a bit at his shyness. He may have looked like his brother, but now she could see that he was quite a bit different. If only she'd really known then the real reason for his shyness…_

" _It's nice to meet you." She replied._

The cotton undershirts and knickers blurred before her eyes and suddenly the tears began to fall, making their way down her cheeks before splashing onto the clean clothes.

Great, now she'd have to do the whole bloody load all over again. And that made her cry even harder.

She felt his presence even before he laid his gentle hand on her shoulder. "Daphne, why are you crying?"

The laundry forgotten, she turned to face her handsome husband. "Oh, I was just thinking about how me life really started when you and I got together. And now David is at that same starting position with Danielle."

He was rubbing her back in that soothing circular motion that she had grown so accustomed to. "You're right, Daphne. I never realized that before. I-."

She turned in his arms and began to sob into his chest. "Oh Niles, I love him so much! I'm going to miss him!"

He held her close, continuing to rub her back while she cried. "I know… I-I love him too. And I'll miss him as well. Terribly in fact."

She heard the unmistakable catch in his voice, the one that told her that he was hurting just as much as she. But she knew that he would never admit that he was on the verge of losing his composure. He wasn't the sort of man who let his feelings show so easily, but he didn't have to tell her how he felt. She knew.

He loved David so deeply, just as she did. And she had to let him know that she understood. She kissed him; a lingering kiss, and then hugged him a little tighter.

"Hey, Mom… Dad… what's going on?"

Daphne pulled out of Niles' arms, discreetly wiping her eyes with the handkerchief that Niles handed her. "Just finishing up this last bit of laundry."

Her handsome son, who had the same features as his father, approached her, regarding her carefully. "Mom, have you been crying again?"

She looked up sharply. "What? No, I-."

"Well, good. Because I don't want you crying over me, all right?"

"I'm not." She lied. "I'm fine, really. I-."

He went to her, engulfing her into his arms. "I love you, Mum. And don't worry. San Francisco's not that far away. The time will go by before you know it. Besides, Uncle Frasier is there. He'll look after me. Not that I need looking after, do I Dad?"

She felt Niles' warm hand on her back. "We have a very intelligent son."

"Dad, don't start that again. I'm not nearly as smart as you."

Niles smiled and left Daphne's side to go and hug his son. "That's nonsense. I'm proud of you, David. You're going to do a great job."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Well, I guess we should get going soon."

Daphne took Niles' hand and then David's. Her chest ached with unbearable loneliness, despite the fact that her son was standing beside her, holding her hand.

"What time does your flight leave, David?"

David squeezed her hand. "A few hours, Mom."

"We really should get going, then." Niles said. "The airport's likely to be jammed at this time of day, not to mention the traffic."

Daphne's heart clinched in her chest. This was becoming all too real. "All right. I'll get me purse. David, do you have your bags?" The question was asked before she spotted the neat pile of luggage by the front door. And that's when it hit her.

Her son was leaving.

A pair of arms went around her and two lips brushed against her cheek. "We should go." Niles' sweet voice whispered into her ear.

She nodded silently and took his hand. As soon as they arrived at the airport, however, she knew that her life would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 2

Danielle stood at the curb in front of the Alaska Airlines terminal, her heart thundering in her chest. She felt like crying… again. But she willed the tears away. What would David think of her insanely emotional state? He was just going to California, two states away. And it was only for three months. It wasn't as though he was going to a different country. And they'd be in the same time zone. But her efforts at self-assurance were of no use. Deep down the anxiety, the fear, the uncertainty was still there.

She looked at her watch, surprised at how much time had passed. She'd arrived early, much earlier than the time that they'd agreed on. Fortunately Sea-Tac Airport's main terminal, while not the most comfortable place to be, had adequate seating which allowed her to pass the time by reading her Kindle. But after she'd read page after page of her latest e-book (a fascinating autobiography on one of her favorite singers), having no recollection of the words, she knew that it was hopeless.

She couldn't concentrate, couldn't think, and couldn't do anything without thinking of him. As she pictured his handsome face, the tears threatened once more and she quickly brushed them away.

Where was he? They should have been at the airport by now. She went outside and watched car after car, bus after bus, truck after truck, van after van and every kind of motorized vehicle imaginable as they zoomed past her. People got out of their vehicles and stood on the sidewalk in front of their respective airlines. Some were excited, some were crying, some were hugging, some and some were laughing, and kissing their loved ones. But she simply stood there, feeling more alone than she'd ever felt in her life.

"Oh David, where are you?"

She brushed away a few escaped tears, trying to ignore her thundering heart when she saw the charcoal grey Mercedes pull up to the curb. Relief flooded her and a few more tears escaped.

Dr. Crane climbed out of the car, followed by Mrs. Crane. Daphne ( _Mrs. Crane_ , as Danielle called her) was so beautiful and her accent was just heavenly. And David's father ( _Niles_... what an interesting name. She'd never heard that name until she'd met David. And she was certain that it was a sign) was so handsome. She knew that she shouldn't think such things, but now she knew where David got his good looks. She wanted to get to know his family better. They were such kind and generous people and so very interesting. And she hoped that she'd have a chance to get to spend more time with them now that David was leaving.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw him get out of the car. "David!"

With a quick nod to his parents, he went to her, engulfing her into his arms. "Hey…"

She clung to him, inhaling his clean scent, never wanting to let go. She hadn't wanted to cry but the relief of seeing him was so great that she could no longer help it.

"Where were you? I thought you'd left without me! I thought-."

He drew back and brushed the fallen locks of hair from her forehead and the tears from her cheeks. "Never, girl. I would never leave without a proper goodbye. How could you even think-."

She nodded, trying to keep the second round of threatening tears from falling. And from the expressions on his parents' faces, they were trying to hold in their emotions as well. The sight of his father's tear-filled eyes, whom David said almost never cried, almost broke her in two.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, holding the man she loved a little tighter. "I'm just-."

"David, you should probably get checked in."

David turned and smiled at Dr. Crane. "Already done, Dad."

At his father's confusion, David smiled, reaching into his carry-on bag where he produced a piece of paper. "I went online last night and printed up my boarding pass to save us time. I can just go directly to security without waiting in those huge lines at the ticket counter."

David's father opened his arms and hugged him. "My son.. Always prepared."

When the brief hug ended, the four of them stood awkwardly at the curbside.

"I guess I should get in there." David said. "The security line is probably pretty long and those TSA people take forever."

Dr. Crane nodded. "Right. Well, have a safe trip." The slight catch in his voice made Danielle's heart ache.

"I will, Dad."

"And call when you get there, okay? So that we know that you got there safely, all right?"

David smiled and nodded. "I will, Dad. I promise."

"All right then."

The two men embraced, bringing Danielle's tears dangerously close to the surface.

"My turn."

David's mother went to him, almost pushing his father out of the way in order to hug David tightly. She kissed his cheeks and then hugged him again. "I'm gonna miss you so much."

"I know Mum. I'll miss you, too."

"Promise you'll call."

"As soon as I land at the airport. I promise, Mum."

Mrs. Crane smiled at him and then touched his cheek. "I'm so proud of you. I-." She began to sob, prompting David to hug her once more.

"Don't cry, Mum. I love you too and I'm going to miss you both. That means you too, Dad."

Mrs. Crane dried her eyes with the handkerchief that his dad handed to her. And then David hugged his father again. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, David."

David hugged his mom once more. "I love you, Mum."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

When the hug ended, Dr. Crane looked at Daphne and then at David and Danielle. "We'll give you two some privacy."

Danielle tried to smile but the effort was minimal. "Thanks, Dr. Crane, Mrs. Crane."

When his parents moved away to give them their promised privacy, she turned to the man she loved. But one look into his brownish-blue eyes and she burst into tears.

David took her into his arms at once and she cried against his chest. "Come back to me." She sobbed.

He drew back, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "You know I will."

"I-."

"I may be in San Francisco, but my heart is with you. Always."

She sniffled as more tears fell. "Oh David…"

"Oh, don't cry. Please. We won't be apart for that long. You're flying out to San Francisco in two weeks. That will give me time to settle in. And you'll finally get to meet my

Uncle Frasier and Aunt Charlotte." She smiled. "I can't wait. I feel like I know them already."

"I love you, girl."

"I love you too."

He drew her close for a kiss that she wouldn't soon forget. And then he grabbed his luggage and headed into the main terminal, turning at the sliding doors and blew her a kiss.

She smiled and waved back, suddenly aware of the hands on her shoulders. His parents were standing on either side of her, watching their son disappear into the terminal.

And when he disappeared from sight, she turned to find herself in the arms of his parents. The three of them cried for the man who was leaving them.

She knew that she'd see David in a few weeks. But it seemed like a lifetime away.


	3. Chapter 3

David waited in line to check in at the counter. He wanted to ensure that they knew he was there. He was greeted warmly by the ticketing agent and when he had his gate assignment he thanked her and made his way to the security gate. The line seemed to stretch all the way to Spokane and moved much slower than he would have liked. It gave him too much time to think… about his parents and Danielle. He missed them already and he hadn't even left the airport yet. Being without them even for a short time, would definitely take some getting used to.

Fortunately, once he put his bags onto the conveyer belt, the line seemed to move faster than before. And soon he was walking down the corridor, en route to his gate. After checking in with the attendant, he took a seat to wait for the flight. Suddenly something happened. He didn't know what, but he felt like his heart and melted down into his stomach. He was missing her. _"What the hell,"_ he thought, _"I'm a grown man. I can't be acting like this."_ He would see her in a few weeks.

He pulled his phone out and turned it on. Perhaps a game of _Plants Verses Zombies_ would settle his nerves a bit. But, he didn't play the game. Instead, he found himself calling her.

 _"Hello?"_

"Danielle, are you still in the airport?"

 _"David! Yes, I'm heading to my car."_

"Can you talk for a moment?"

 _"Of course. Is something wrong?"_

"No, nothing. It's just that… I just wanted to hear your voice."

 _"Oh baby, I love you."_

"I love you, too… very much. I just wish…"

 _"What? What is it?"_

"I just wish I would have hugged you again or held you longer… I don't know. Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

 _"It doesn't sound stupid, not at all."_

There was silence, but he was very content knowing that she was still there on the line.

 _"How long will you be in San Francisco?"_ she asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll find out more when I get there. I'll let you know as soon as I find out. Danielle…"

 _"Yes babe, I'm here. I'm right here."_

"I know I just saw you, but I miss you like crazy."

 _"I miss you, too and I love you."_

"Oh, they're starting to board. I'd better go. I'll call you when I get in. Good-bye."

 _"Good-bye, David."_


	4. Chapter 4

When he hung up. And looked around the diner where she'd sat to give him her undivided attention.

She took in a deep breath. These first few weeks would be hard on her, but she would be with him in San Francisco in just two weeks. She'd barely taken took four steps away from the seat she'd been sitting in when her phone rang again.

"Hello?"

 _"I love you, too."_

She smiled. "You almost forgot to say it back to me."

 _"You know that if I ever forget to say it, I always meant to."_

"I know love." She hung up. She stayed in the airport diner for the next several minutes just to see if he would call her again. No, who was she kidding? She was hoping.

 _(Meanwhile)_

David had taken his seat on the plane and had shut his phone off. Next to him sat a slim brunette with long flowing hair obviously in her teens.

"Hi, my name's David."

She shot him a look. "You're not trying to hit on me, are you?"

"No," he said defensively.

"Because you're like fifty!"

David smiled and chuckled softly. "I assure you that I'm not that old."

"Why are you not married?"

"I'm beginning to ask myself that same question. So do you have family in San Francisco?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

"Well, you've already been talking to me."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked bluntly.

David smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Do you carry any pictures of her?"

"Actually, I don't."

"Come on, you have to have pictures of her in your wallet."

"Well, I _don't,_ okay?"

"Are you embarrassed by her?"

"What!? No! She's bright and beautiful and funny and very attractive!"

"When what's wrong with her?"

David started looking down the aisle. He was wondering where the stewardesses were. He could tell he was going to need some alcohol on his flight. "Listen girl…"

"My name is Diane and I'm not a _girl_! I'm fifteen, so I am a _lady_! Get it right!"

Oh, for God's sake! Today's youth. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering if his parents put up with this from his sisters. He certainly hoped not.

"So, are you going to cough up the picture of your girl or not?"

He took out his wallet to show her that he didn't carry any pictures of her. Yet, when he opened it, a picture of Danielle fell out.

"What the-"

She must have slipped it in there when he wasn't looking.

Diane picked up the photo and looked at it. "She's pretty." She handed the picture back. "And you're weird."


End file.
